Gelatinizing blood for feed

ABSTRACT

A mixture of blood and water is collected in catch basins on the slaughter floor of a slaughterhouse. A charge of blood and water is transferred from the catch basin to a closed container or gelatinizer where about 50 or 60 percent of the water content is vaporized through the injection of live steam into the gelatinizer and also by adding heat through steam coils in the gelatinizer. The live steam also agitates the charge. Thereafter the gelatinizer is closed and the gelatinated blood thus formed is removed by increasing the pressure in the vessel, forcing the gelatinated blood out a drain.

United States Patent [72] Inventor George W. Parks, Jr. 3,123,593 3/1964 Allan et al. .I 99/2l X 314 6th St., Snyder, Tex. 79549 3,450,537 6/1969 Filstrup 99/21 [211 1 81 2 Primary Examiner-Norman Yudko ff [22] I e d a 1971 Assistant ExaminerKenneth P. Van Wyck I45] Paleme c Attorney-Charles W. Coffee [54] GELATINIZING BLOOD FOR FEED l 1 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 99/7, ABSTRACT; A minute of blood and water is collected in 99/21' 260/1123 106/125 catch basins on the slaughter floor of a slaughterhouse. A [51 Int. Cl A23k l/04, charge of blood and water is transferred from the Catch basin 1/06 to a closed container or gelatinizer where about 50 or 60 per- ISO] held of Search 99/2, l8, 7, Cent f he water comem is vaporized through the injection f 2I; 260/x 2I I22, v 112 B; 424/10]; 106/125 live steam into the gelatinizer and also by adding-heat through 5 I f d steam coils in the gelatinizer. The live steam also agitates the 6] e erences l e charge. Thereafter the gelatinizer is closed and the gelatinated UNITED STATES PATENTS blood thus formed is removed by increasing the pressure in the 2,996,383 8/1961 Gershon 99/7 vessel, forcing the gelatinated blood out a drain.

BLOOD WATER MIXTURE I 4 CATCH BASIN |Ov MEASURED CHARGE Z6 STEAM GELATINIZER VAPOR 45 SON GELAT I NAT ED BLOOD OF PAL 6\ l CONDENER OFFAL (,OOKER CONDENSATE MEAT MEAL TO SEWER PATENTEDucT 26 I97! SHEET 1 [IF 2 v BLOOD- WATER MIXTURE 4 CATCH BASIN MEASURED CHARGE I6 25 STEAM L% GELATINIZER VAPOR -45 5o- GELATINATED BLOOD 'OFFAL 6 1 J/ CONDENER OFFAL COOKER CONDENSATE MEAT MEAL TO SEWER TO MARKET FIG. I

INVENTOR:

GELATINIZING BLOOD FOR FEED CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to processing slaughterhouse waste and preventing air and sewage pollution and more particularly relates to the treatment of blood and preparing an animal feed from the treated blood and offal.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is well known that animal blood is rich in feed value, particularly protein. Most of this feed value is found in the solid parts of the blood and a negligible amount is found in the liquid part of the blood. The use of blood in animal feed is difficult because, according to methods in commercial use today, the concentration of the solid portion is a long and difficult task. Preparation of feed from blood and offal is difficult because of the high liquid content of the blood.

Also in newly enacted antipollution practices, slaughterhouses are not allowed to dispose of the animal blood in the sewers and it is necessary to provide for some other disposal thereof.

Sorensen in U.S. Pat. No. 609,057, issued Aug. 16, 1898, suggests that the solid portions of the blood can be congealed and then precipitated into a comparatively solid mass and then separated from the watery solution by pressing in a press.

Norman in U.S. Pat. No. 2,165,721, issued July 11, 1939, suggests treating the blood with live steam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1 have found that the solid liquid portions of the blood can be separated by injecting live steam into the blood while simultaneously heating the blood from a separate source as by steam coils. l have found that it is necessary to first inject the live steam into the cold blood slowly, otherwise there is excessive agitation; however, as the temperature of the charge of blood increases, the live steam injection rate can be increased. This is continued until about 60 percent of the water content of the blood is removed. The vapors from the container are condensed in a condenser. The condensate is suitable for disposal in the regular sewers. Thereafter the remaining solids, in the form of a gelatinous mass, are readily available to be moved to an offal cooker where they are mixed with the offal and bones to be further cooked to prepare a meat meal or tankage. The meat meal so prepared has a considerable higher protein content than the meal prepared without the addition of the blood.

An object of this invention is to separate the solid and liquid portion of slaughterhouse blood.

Another object is to prepare a high protein feed from the separated solid portion of the blood mixed with offal and bones.

A further object is to provide acceptable nonpolluting disposal of slaughterhouse blood.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, safe, versatile, efficient, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, operate and maintain.

Other objects are to achieve the above with a method that is safe, rapid, versatile, efficient, and inexpensive and does not require skilled people to install, adjust, operate, and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of gelatinizing process according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of gelatinizers partially in section.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As used herein, the term "water" refers to the separated liquid portion of the mixture of blood and water. It will be understood that it is not pure water, but it is used herein to differentiate between the solid portions, which are referred to as gelatinous or gelatinated blood As used herein, the term offal does not include blood. Also, the specific embodiment is described, in many cases, with specific pipe diameters or vessel size. Of course, it will be understood that this is only one specific embodiment and that the invention is in no way limited to these specific sizes.

Referring specifically to the drawing, blood and water are collected in catch basin 4 which normally will be located at the place of slaughter. The catch basin 4 capacity will be no greater than the capacity of gelatinizer 16. Therefore, when a charge of blood-and-water mixture is transferred from the catch basin 4 through the 4 inch inlet pipe 10 to the gelatin izer 16, the gelatinizer 16 will not overflow and will not be overfillcd.

Obviously, if it is so desired, the capacity of the gelatinizer 16 could be a multiple of two or three times the capacity of the catch basin 4 and therefore, the catch basin could be emptied two or three times to form a single charge in the gelatinizer 16.

The blood-water mixture is divided by Y" 12 which connects the inlet pipe 10 into either pipe 14, where it is directed to gelatinizer 16, or pipe 18, where it is directed to gelatinizer 20. Whether blood goes to gelatinizer 16 or 20 is determined by whether the valve 22 or valve 24 is open or closed. It is contemplated that one gelatinizer 16 or 20 would be receiving blood while the blood was being gelatinized in the other gelatinizer.

The gelatinizers are 4 feet in diameter, 6 feet tall, identical, and therefore, only one gelatinizer 16 will be described. It will be understood that the description of this gelatinizer is equally applicable to the other.

Steam is introduced into the gelatinizer 16 through 2 inch throttling valve 28 in 2 inch steam line 26. The steam line 26 is connected through fluidtight fittings and the shell of the gelatinizer 16 into a 34-inch pipe ring 30 near the bottom of the gelatinizer 16. The ring 30 has a plurality of 54-inch nipples 32 extending from it. Four vertical 94-inch pipes 34 extend upward from the ring 30. One-quarter inch nipples 36 extend outward from each of the vertical pipes 34 at approximately 1 foot spacing. The nipples 36 are alternately 18 inches long and 4 inches long and are all angled at 45 from the radial line in the same direction so that when the steam is blown through them, they gently agitate or whirl the charge of blood in the same direction. The top of the vertical pipes 34 are capped.

Steam from the steam line 26 is admitted by valves 27 through fluidtight fittings in the shell of the gelatinizer 16 where they enter into a steam coil 29. This steam coil is on the inside of the nipples 36. l have found that with the size tank described above, feet of 2 inch pipe make a suitable coil. As may be seen, the steam enters the coil 29 at the top and the bottom of the coil also extends through the lower portion of the gelatinizer 16 shell where the water which will be formed in the coil is caught in steam trap 31 and the water is drained from the steam trap 31 to the sewer.

The gelatinizer 16 also has the following fittings: 2 inch steam line 38 entering by valve 40 near the top of the gelatinizer 16. Three inch vapor exhaust line 45 with valve 46 exiting from the top of the gelatinizer 16. This line 45 connects to condenser 6 (FIG. 1). At the condenser 6 any vapors escaping from the gelatinizer 16 are condensed and the condensate put to the sewer. All of these vapors will not be pure water. After they have been vaporized from the gelatinizer and condensed, it is permissible to send them to the sewer.

Cover 48 is on an inspection opening which is in the top of the gelatinizer 16. Four inch unloading line 50 extends from the bottom of the gelatinizer through unloading valve 52 to the offal cooker 8. Between the gelatinizer 16 and the unloading valve 52, 2 inch water valve 54 is attached. Waterline 56 extends from the valve 54 to the sewer for use in washing out the gelatinizer 16.

The operation of the equipment is described as follows: EXAMPLE l With the valve 52, 54, and 40, closed, the gelatinizer 16 is charged with a charge of a mixture of about 80 percent blood and 20 percent water through inlet pipe from the catch basin 4. The inlet charge flows through valve 22 until the catch basin is empty. Petcock 42 and valve 22 are closed after the gelatinizer is charged. No effort is made to maintain incoming blood free of grease and other contamination. Valve 46 is open and inspection cover 48 closed. Then valve 27 is opened to allow full flow of steam into the heating coils 29. Then throttle valve 28 is cracked open until there is a gentle flow of steam into the gelatinizer 16. If a full flow of steam is admitted through the valve 28, the live steam entering into the cold charge will cause an excessive popping vibration and agitation. However, as the charge heats up, it is possible to open the valve 28 wider. The objective is to open the valve 28 to allow full flow of live steam into the charge which is in the gelatinizer 16 as quickly as possible, avoiding the excessive disruption of the charge which results when live steam is put into the cold charge. Saturated steam should be provided at about 90 p.s.i.g. throughout the process to valves 28 and 27. After about 18 minutes in the processing, about 60 to 70 percent of the water has been eliminated. Stated otherwise, the blood has less than 50 percent water remaining with it. At this time the valves 27, 28, and 46, are closed.

The valve 40 is opened. Also, unloading valve 52 is the bottom is opened. Thus pressure will build up within the gelatinizer 16. This increase in pressure will force the gelatinated blood through the unloading line 50 to the offal cooker 8. For the benefit of the offal cooker, it is desirable to remove as much water from the blood as possible in the gelatinizer 16. However, if more than 70 percent of the water is removed, the gelatinated blood becomes thick and rubberlike and it is extremely difficult to move it through the unloading line 50. However, if as much as 50 percent of the water is removed so that the product contains no greater than 50 percent of water, this is sufficiently well prepared to be useful in the offal cooker 8. Of course, fresh blood could be placed in the offal cooker, but it takes a longer time to reduce the moisture if the blood is placed there with excessive moisture. Better processing at the offal cooker results if the excess water is removed before the blood is placed in the offal cooker.

Determining when to move the gelatinous mass from the gelatinizer 16 is dependent upon the condition of the gelatinous mass. This will be determined from experience as to how easily the gelatinated blood is forced through the line and how much pressure must be built up before it will move through the line 50; however, a certain indication can be obtained by placing a thermometer in the vapor line 45 going to the condenser.

After the gelatinated blood has been moved into the offal cooker 8, the offal and bones are added; the mixture of partially prepared blood, offal and bones are cooked for the same time as the offal alone is normally cooked and the same procedures apply as for cooking offal alone. Thus the processing time is greatly reduced. Also, after the gelatinous mass has been moved from the gelatinizer 16, it is now ready to receive a new charge of blood and to repeat the process.

One modification of the equipment in process would be to eliminate the steam line 38 opening into the top of the gelatinizer 16 and to build pressure for the removal of the gelatinous mass by continuing the flow of the steam through the throttle valve 28.

Also, in the description of the process, it will be noticed that this process is not a drying of blood inasmuch as the finished product of the gelatinizer is not dried blood, but a gelatinous mass. Likewise it will be noted that this process does not completely cook the blood, but the cooking is completed with the offal in the offal cooker.

The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.

I claim as my invention 2. A method of preparing fresh blood for mixture with raw offal to make meat meal for animal feed comprising:

a. collecting and measuring a charge of fresh blood in a catch basin,

b. transferring the charge of blood into an atmospheric gelatinizer, c. heating the charge as a batch in the gelatinizer by simultaneously i. injecting live steam into the charge in the gelatinizer,

thereby ii. agitating the charge in the gelatinizer, and iii. adding heat through steam coils in the gelatinizer, cc. vaporizing water from the charge in the gelatinizer until (1. 50 to 70 percent of the water content of the blood has been removed, thus forming the charge into a gelatinous mass, e. thereafter removing the gelatinous mass from the gelatinizer to an offal cooker for further processing. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of f. transferring all vapors produced in the atmospheric gelatinizer to a condenser and g. condensing the vapors in the condenser. 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of f. said charge containing water in addition to the blood. 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of heating the charge by f. adding the live steam slowly at first and then g. increasing the rate of the live-steam injection as the charge increases in temperature. 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 with the additional limitations of A h. transferring all vapors produced in the atmospheric gelatinizer to a condenser and j. condensing the vapors in the condenser. 6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the gelatinous mass is removed by f. closing all vapor outlets of the gelatinizer, and g. opening bottom conduit valves of the gelatinizer, and h. injecting steam into the gelatinizer, thus j. increasing the pressure in the gelatinizer until the gelatinous mass is forced through the bottom conduit. 7. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of k. said charge containing water in addition to the blood. 8. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of k. transferring all vapors produced in the atmospheric gelatinizer to a condenser and m. condensing the vapors in the condenser. 9. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of when heating the charge k. adding the live steam slowly at first and then in. increasing the rate of live-steam injection as the charge increases in temperature. 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitation of q. said live steam being saturated steam at about p.s.i.g.,

r. the gelatinous mass removed from the gelatinizer being neither dried not completely cooked blood and s. said gelatinous mass being mixed with offal and bones and cooked therewith in an offal cooker. 

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of f. transferring all vapors produced in the atmospheric gelatinizer to a condenser and g. condensing the vapors in the condenser.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of f. said charge containing water in addition to the blood.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of heating the charge by f. adding the live steam slowly at first and then g. increasing the rate of the live-steam injection as the charge increases in temperature.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 with the additional limitations of h. transferring all vapors produced in the atmospheric gelatinizer to a condenser and j. condensing the vapors in the condenser.
 6. ThE invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the gelatinous mass is removed by f. closing all vapor outlets of the gelatinizer, and g. opening bottom conduit valves of the gelatinizer, and h. injecting steam into the gelatinizer, thus j. increasing the pressure in the gelatinizer until the gelatinous mass is forced through the bottom conduit.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of k. said charge containing water in addition to the blood.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of k. transferring all vapors produced in the atmospheric gelatinizer to a condenser and m. condensing the vapors in the condenser.
 9. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of when heating the charge k. adding the live steam slowly at first and then m. increasing the rate of live-steam injection as the charge increases in temperature.
 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitation of n. transferring all vapors produced in the atmospheric container to a condenser and o. condensing the vapors in the condenser.
 11. The invention as defined in claim 10 with the additional limitations of p. said charge containing water in addition to the blood and comprising about 80 percent blood and 20 percent water, q. said live steam being saturated steam at about 90 p.s.i.g., r. the gelatinous mass removed from the gelatinizer being neither dried nor completely cooked blood and s. said gelatinous mass being mixed with offal and bones and cooked therewith in an offal cooker. 